Single trigger mechanism for double barrel guns



June 21, 1955 E. P. SIMMONS 2,711,042

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS Filed Nov. 12, 1952 2Sheets-Shem 1 IN! 'EN TOR.

fmg/wmu Affm/vayx June 21, 1955 E. P. SIMMONS 2,711,042

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS Filed Nov. 12, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INYENTOR. I fr/rwf AD J/mmm:

Affaxwaya.

nited States Pate 2,711,042 SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DQUBLE BARRELGUNS Ernest P. Simmons, Kansas City, Kans. Application November 12, 1%2,Serial No. 319,902

4 Claims. (Cl. 42-42) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in firearms, and relates particularly to the firingmechanism of double-barrel guns whereby the barrels may be fired insequence by successive pulls of a single trigger.

In firearms of this type there are necessarily two hammers, and twosears for holding the hammers in their cocked positions. The seartripping connector which is disposed between the sears and the singletrigger must of course first engage only one of the sears, and after thehammer associated with that sear has been released, must beautomatically shifted into operative engagement with the other sear, sothat the next pull of the trigger will release the second hammer andfire the second barrel. Various arrangements have been proposed foraccomplishing this shifting of the connector for engagement with thesecond sear, but all of these arrangements within my knowledge rely inone way or another on the recoil of the gun after the first barrel isfired, or the rebound of the gun after said recoil, as by mounting aweight movably in the mechanism which, by its inertia, will perform theshifting of the connector during recoil or rebound of the gun. malconditions, are subject to certain disadvantages. For example, they areeffective only on guns of sufiiciently large bore to provide sufficientrecoil or rebound force to operate the connector shifting mechanismpositively. They are generally unsatisfactory on small caliber weapons.Also, in the event that the round of ammunition in the first barrel tobe fired is a dud, or fires only imperfectly, the connector shiftingmechanism will of course not be operated, and the shooter loses thesecond shot. This is naturally a serious disadvantage under manycircumstances.

The main objects of this invention are therefore the provision, in afirearm firing mechanism of the character described, of a connectorshifting mechanism which is operated by positive mechanical meansactuated directly from the trigger, that is in no way dependent on therecoil of the gun and not affected by the size of the ammunition orvariations in recoil due to irregularities in the loading of theammunition, and which will function whether the ammunition in the firstbarrel fires or not.

Another object is the provision of a connector shifting device of thecharacter described which may be applied to present guns of the recoilorrebound-operated type, and which when so applied does not require anyadditional moving parts, and which may be used either as a supplement toor independently of the recoilor reboundoperated mechanisms of saidpresent guns.

A further object is the provision of a connector shifting mechanism ofthe class described having a selector feature by means of which eitherbarrel of a double-barrel gun may be fired first.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, anddependability and positive operation under any and all conditions.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects ing a firingmechanism embodying the present invention,

with both hammers cocked and with the connector positioned in operativerelationship to one of the sears.

These arrangements, while satisfactory under noriii) Figs. 2, 3, 4, and5 are enlarged fragmentary views similar to Fig. 1, respectively showingsequentially the relative positions of the parts at the instant ofrelease of the first hammer, at the instant of release of the first searfrom the connector, after the first sear has moved out of the path ofthe connector but before the trigger has been released, and after thetrigger has been released and the connector has moved into operativerelation to the second sear.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on line VIVI of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line Vll-VIl of Fig.l, with parts omitted.

Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary sections taken respectively onlines VIII-VIII and IXlX of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the connector andinertia block.

Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are fragmentary sections taken respectively onlines XI-XI, XII-XII, and XIII-XIII of Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary front elevation of a connector of modifiedform.

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of the connector as shown in Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on line XVIXVI of Fig. 15.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the numeral 2 applies to the frame portion of a gun, only apart thereof being shown as it may be of any suitable construction. Theforward end thereof is to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, and the rearwardend to the right. Said frame includes a body portion 4, a rearwardlyextending upper tang piece 6, a rearwardly extending lower tang piece 8spaced below said upper tang piece, and a rear tang piece 10 extendingbetween and fixed to the rearward end portions of said upper and lowertang pieces.

The firing mechanism is contained principally in the open space boundedby body 4 and tang pieces 6, 8, and 10. It includes a lefthammer 12 anda right hammer 14 mounted side-by-side transversely of the frame forindependent pivotal movement on a common pivot 16. Each has a forwardstriking surface 18 which is adapted as the hammer swings forwardly tocontact and operate respectively firing pins 20 and 22 carried in body 4of the frame, in the usual manner. The gun shown is of theover-and-under type, but it will be apparent that the invention could beapplied as well to guns wherein the barrels are disposed side-by-side.Each hammer is constantly urged pivotally forwardly by a helical spring24 mounted on a guide rod 26, the forward end of which bears against therearward side of the associated hammer and the rearward end of which iscarried slidably in rear tang piece 10. Said spring bears at itsrearward end against said rear tang piece, and at its forward endagainst a flange 28 formed on said guide rod. Each hammer is provided atits outer end with a scar notch 30.

A left sear 32 and a right sear 34 are disposed side by sidetransversely of the frame, being carried for inde pendent pivotalmovement by a common transverse pivot 36 in upper tang piece 6. Eachsear is provided with a hammer-cooperating tooth 38 adapted to be seatedin the sear notch of the corresponding hammer, and a rearwardlyextending tailpiece 4i adapted to cooperate with the sear trippingconnector as hereinafter described. Each sear is urged constantly towardthe hammer engaging position by a spring 42 seated in tang piece 6 andengaging the sear rearwardly of pivot 36, whereby the sear is urgeddownwardly and forwardly. The forward movement of each sear is limitedby a toe 44 formed integrally therewith and adapted to engage tang piece6 as hereinafter described. The gun is cocked by pivoting the hammersrearwardly by any suitable means, not shown, until the sear notchesthereof are engaged by the teeth 38 of the scars.

Associated with the scars is a connector 46, the upper end portion ofwhich is disposed immediately to the rear of tailpieces 40 of the scars.On its forward face said connector is provided with a forward upwardlyfacing shoulder 48 and a pair of upwardly facing side shoulders 5'0 and52. Said side shoulders are disposed respectively at transverselyopposite sides of shoulder 43, and spaced rearwardly therefrom. Saidconnector is provided with a forward face 54 rising directly from therearward edge of shoulder 48 and coincident with the forward edges ofshoulders and 52.

Lower tang piece 8 is longitudinally slotted intermediate its ends toreceive a trigger 56, said trigger being pivotally mounted therein at 58and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. The body portion ofsaid trigger is provided with a substantially horizontal longitudinalbore in which a plunger 60 is mounted for longitudinal sliding andoscillatory rotary movement. A compression spring 62 is mounted in saidbore between the forward end of the plunger and the closed forward endof the bore, whereby said plunger is urged rearwardly. Said bore isslotted along its upper edge, the trigger having side walls 64 risingtherefrom, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the rearward end portionof plunger 60 has a bifurcation 66 formed therein. The lower end ofconnector 46 extends into said bifurcation, and is secured in saidplunger by means of a pivot pin 68 which is transverse to the axis ofthe plunger. The connector is thus mounted for universal pivotalmovement in the trigger, whereby shoulder 48 of said connector may bemoved transversely to a position beneath the tailpiece of either sear. Apin 70 extends transversely between and is rigidly fixed in side walls64 of the trigger, and the rearward edge of the connector is urgedrearwardly thereagainst by spring 62. Said pin acts as a fulcrum,whereby the upper end portion of the connector is urged forwardlyagainst the tailpieces 40 of the sears.

An inertia block 72 is mounted on the rearward face of connector 4 atthe upper end thereof. It may be secured to the connector by anysuitable means, the drawing showing a pair of laterally extending ribs74 formed on the connector above the level of shoulders 48, 50 and 52,and a similar pair of ribs 76 formed on the connector below saidshoulders, said pairs of ribs engaging respectively in undercut grooves78 and 80 formed in the forward face of the block, as best shown inFigs. 10, 11, and 13. The upper edge of said block, which isapproximately parallel to and spaced below upper tang piece 6, has aslot 82 formed longitudinally therein, the block forming a shoulder 84therein at the rearward end of said slot. Said slot is enlarged withinthe body of the block by a bore 86 extending parallel to andcommunicating with the slot.

The connector 46 is shiftable transversely and longitudinally of theframe by a selector mechanism best shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 9. Alongitudinally extending slot 88 is formed through tang piece 6 aboveand to the rear of inertia block 72. Disposed within said slot forsliding movement forwardly and rearwardly is a substantially rectilinearblock 90. A selector plate 92 is disposed against the outer surface oftang piece 6, and has a pair of spaced apart fingers 94 and 96 rigidlyfixed thereto and depending therefrom into slot 88. Said fingers aredisposed respectively in front of and behind block 90, and are infrictional engagement therewith. Finger 94 extends below tang piece 6,and enters slot 82 of inertia block 72. Slot 88 is provided at itsforward end with an inwardly projecting tongue 98, forming a notch 100at the left side thereof and a notch 102 at the right side thereof.Plate 92 is provided on its upper surface with a thumb piece 104 bymeans of which the selector may be manipulated. Said selector is held inposition by a leaf spring 105 bearing against the lower surface of tangpiece 6 and having an aperture M38 formed therein through which selectorarm 94 extends. A notch in the forward edge of said arm engages thespring adjacent said aperture. At its rearward end spring 106 forms adetent H2 adapted, as the selector is moved forwardly and rearwardlyrelative to the frame, to engage releasably in either a forward notch114- or a rearward notch 116, said notches being formed in the lowerface of tang piece 6.

When the selector is positioned as shown, with finger 94 thereof innotch 100 and detent 112 in forward notch 114, finger 94 positions theconnector transversely of the frame so that connector shoulder 48 isdisposed behind left sear 32, and the connector is urged forwardly bytrigger spring as to position said shoulder beneath the tailpiece ofsaid left sear. When the selector is moved rearward to engage detent 112in notch 116, finger 94 thereof engages shoulder 84 of inertia blockslot 82 and moves the connector rearwardly to a position entirely clearfrom the scars. This is the safety position. The selector plate may thenbe moved to the right until finger 94 is behind tang notch 102, thenmoved forwardly to move said finger into said notch. Connector shoulder48 will then be disposed in operative position beneath the tailpiece ofright sear 34.

The structure so far described is old, being well known in the art. Myinvention consists of the addition to each sear of a downwardlyextending rod 118 fixed at its upper end in said sear and spacednormally forwardly of connector 46. At their lower ends, rods 11% arebent inwardly to form arms 120 and 122 respectively, said arms beingadapted to engage and operate the connector as hereinafter described.The inner ends of said arms are disposed symmetrically at opposite sidesof the longitudinal vertical midplane of the frame, as also are thehammers and sears. Trigger plunger 60 is also disposed in this plane.

The operation of the firing mechanism is substantially as follows.Assuming that the gun is cocked and the selector positioned as shown inthe drawings, connector shoulder 48 is disposed beneath the tailpiece 40of left sear 32, and the connector is urged forwardly against saidtailpiece by trigger spring 62. Face 54 of the connector engages thetailpiece of scar 32, preventing connector side shoulder 52 from passingbeneath the tailpiece of right sear 34. It will be noted that thetransverse width of connector shoulder 48 is less than the spacingbetween the tailpieces, so that said shoulder 48 can in no event engageboth sears simultaneously, and that the width of connector face 54 isgreater than the spacing between the tailpieces, so that said face canin no event pass between the tailpieces, which would perunit sideshoulders 54) and 52 to engage the scars simultaneously. This preventsaccidental simultaneous dis charge of both barrels.

As the user pulls the trigger for the first shot, the trigger elevatesconnector 46, forcing shoulder 48 upwardly against the tailpiece of sear32, pivoting said sear upwardly and elevating tooth 38 thereof out ofengagement with sear notch 30, thus releasing left hammer 12 and firingone barrel of the gun. Fig. 2 shows the position of the parts at theinstant of release of hammer 12. During this releasing motion of sear32, the connector-operating arm 120 of rod 118 affixed to said searmoves rearwardly and engages the forward edge of the shank portion ofthe connector. It will be noted in Fig. 6 that said connector shank isdisposed directly behind arm 120 and in the path thereof. After said armcontacts the connector it is evident that additional motion of thetrigger will act through the connector to sear 32, and thence througharm 120 of said sear to force the connector rearwardly, eventuallyforcing connector shoulder 43 out of engagement with the tailpiece ofsear 32. Arm 120 thus acts as a cam, and may be so described. Fig. 3

shows the position of the parts at the instant of the release of sear 32from the connector. It is of course evident that the parts must be soproportioned that sear 32 will be moved out of engagement with hammer12, thus releasing hammer 12, before arm 120 forces connector shoulder48 out of engagement with the sear. Thus the release of the sear fromthe connector is accomplished by a very slight additional triggermovement after the actual release of hammer 12. This additional triggermovement occurs naturally and automatically as the user pulls thetrigger.

After hammer 12 is released, sear 32 is pivoted downwardly and forwardlyby its associated spring 42 to the forward position shown in Fig. 4,said movement being limited by the engagement of sear toe 44 with uppertang piece 6, and connector 46 is pivoted forwardly by spring 62 untilit contacts the tailpiece of right sear 34, as shown in Fig. 4. It willbe noted, however, that since the user has not normally released thetrigger at this time, connector 46 is elevated, due to the upwardpivotal motion of the trigger. Therefore connector side shoulder 52 isabove the level of the tailpiece of right sear 34, and cannot passthereunder. Instead, said tailpiece strikes the forward face of theconnector just below said shoulder. trigger, the connector is lowered,then urged forwardly by spring 62, to position shoulder 52 thereofbeneath sear 34, as shown in Fig. 5.

On the next successive pull of the trigger, therefore,

the connector will operate sear 34 to release right hammer 14 and firethe second barrel of the gun. During this second pull of the trigger,connector-operating arm 122 of scar 34 will not engage or operate theconnector, the connector not being disposed in the path thereof, andsear 34 may therefore remain engaged on shoulder 52 of the connectorafter the second barrel has been fired. This is not considereddetrimental or disadvantageous in any way, since both barrels have beenfired at this time. If the selector is moved rearwardly, to the right,then forwardly, as previously described, connector shoulder 48 will bedisposed beneath the tailpiece of sear 34, and the shank of theconnector will be disposed immediately behind connector-operating arm122 of sear 34. When the parts are so set, and the hammers cooked, thefiring operation is substantially the same as previously describedexcept that sear 34 and right hammer 14 are actuated on the firsttrigger pull by connector shoulder 48, and sear 32 and left hammer 12are actuated on the second trigger pull by connector shoulder 50.

Inertia block 72 is used in many presently existing guns, and hasapproximately the same function as sear arms or cams 120 and 122. Thatis, after the first barrel of the gun is fired, and after the subsequentrecoil of the gun, the gun rebounds forwardly, whereupon inertia willcause block 72 to move rearwardly with respect to the sears, therebydisengaging it from the sear related with the barrel just fired, andpermitting said sear to be pivoted forwardly. As has been pointed out,the inertia block operation is unsatisfactory in small bore guns, as therebound force is not sutficient to provide positive operation, or Wherethe ammunition in the first barrel to be fired is a dud, or firesimperfectly. It is evident that the addition of arms or cams 120 and 122may be accomplished without removing the block or otherwise altering themechanism. It is also evident, however, that the addition of the armsprovide a more satisfactory positive mechanical action than the inertiaoperation, and that the inertia block may thus be dispensed with ifdesired.

Figs. 14, 15, and 16 show a connector 46 modified to eliminate theinertia block. It is provided with a front shoulder 48, side shoulders50' and 52', and face 54' in the same manner as connector 46, but inplace of inertia block 72 is provided with a light-weight arm 124attached to the upper end thereof and extending rear- When the userreleases the wardly therefrom. Said arm has a longitudinal slot 32'formed therein and a shoulder 84 at the rearward end of said slot, saidslot being engageable by selector arm 94 in the same manner said armengages slot 82 of inertia block 72. The operation of connector 46 issubstantially identical with that of connector 46.

While I have shown and described specific embodi ments of my invention,it is apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation couldbe made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined bythe scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a frame, a pair of hammers pivoted in said frame,means urging said hammers toward a firing position, a pair of searspivoted in transversely side-byside relation in said frame and operablerespectively to engage and hold said hammers in a cocked position, atrigger pivoted in said frame, an elongated connector pivoted in saidtrigger and movable longitudinally by said trigger, said connectorextending rearwardly of said sears and transversely to the axis thereof,said connector having a forward transverse shoulder and a rearwardtransverse shoulder spaced laterally from said forward shoulder, meansurging said connector forwardly whereby said forward shoulderoperatively engages one of said sears, said engagement normally holdingthe rearward shoulder out of engagement with the other of said sears,and a cam member fixed to the sear engaged by said forward shoulder andoperable, as said last named sear is pivoted by said connector, toengage and pivot said forward connector shoulder out of engagement withsaid sear, said disengagement occurring after the hammer engaged by saidlast named sear is released.

2. In combination, a frame, a pair of hammers pivoted in said frame,means urging said hammers toward a firing position, a pair of searspivoted in transversely side-byside relation in said frame and operablerespectively to engage and hold said hammers a cocked position, atrigger pivoted in said frame, an elongated connector pivoted in saidtrigger and movable longitudinally by said trigger, said connectorextending rearwardly of said scars and transversely to the axes thereof,said connector having a forward transverse shoulder and a rearwardtransverse shoulder spaced laterally from said forward shoulder, meansurging said sears to a position out of the path of said connector, saidsears normally being held in the path of said connector by theirengagement with said hammers, means urging said connector forwardlywhereby said forward shoulder operatively engages one of said sears,said engagement normally holding the rearward shoulder out of engagementwith the other of said sears, and a cam member fixed to the sear engagedby said forward shoulder and operable, as said last named sear ispivoted by said connector, to engage said connector and pivot saidforward connector shoulder out of engagement with said sear, saiddisengagement occurring after the hammer engaged by said last named searis released.

3. In combination, a frame, a pair of hammers pivoted in said frame,means urging said hammers toward a firing position, a pair of searspivoted in transversely side-byside relation in said frame and operablerespectively to engage and hold said hammers in a cocked position, atrigger pivoted in said frame, an elongated connector pivoted in saidtrigger and movable longitudinally by said trigger, said connectorextending rearwardly of said sears and transversely to the axes thereof,said connector having a forward transverse shoulder and a rearwardtransverse shoulder spaced laterally from said forward shoulder, saidconnector having an upward extending face rising at the rearward edge ofsaid forward shoulder and forwardly of said rearward shoulder, meansurging said sears to a position out of the path of said connector, saidsears normally being held in the path of said connector by theirengagement with said hammers, means urging said of engagement with saidsear, said disengagement occurring after the hammer engaged by said lastnamed sear is released.

4. In combination, a frame, a pair of hammers pivoted in said frame,means urging said hammers toward a firing position, a pair of searspivoted in transversely side-byside relation in said frame and operablerespectively to engage and hold said hammers in a cocked position, atrigger pivoted in said frame, an elongated connector pivoted in saidtrigger and movable longitudinally by said trigger, said connectorextending rearwardly of said scars and transversely to the axes thereof,said connector having a forward transverse shoulder and a pair oftransverse shoulders disposed respectively at laterally opposite sidesof said forward shoulder and spaced rearwardly therefrom,

selector means for shifting said connector transversely whereby saidforward shoulder may be disposed imme- 8. diately behind either of saidsears, whereupon one of said rearward shoulders is disposed immediatelybehind. the other of said sears, means urging said sears to a positionout of the path of said connector, said sears normally being held in thepath of said connector by their engagement with said hammers, meansurging said connector forwardly whereby the forward shoulder thereofengages one of said sears, said engagement normally holding the rearwardconnector shoulder out of engagement with the other of said scars, and apair of cam members fixed respectively to said sears, said connectorbeing adapted by its transverse movement to be selectively positioned inoperative relation behind the cam of the sear engaged by the forwardconnector shoulder, the cam of said last mentioned sear being operable,as said last mentioned sear is pivoted by said forward connectorshoulder, to engage said connector and cam said forward connectorshoulder out of engagement with said last mentioned sear, saiddisengagement occurring after the hammer associated with said lastmentioned sear has been released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

